Thinking Pink … and Breast Cancer Awareness Month

“Hey, you might know … where I can find pink shoelaces?  I need 28 pairs by Sunday.”

When the Director of Madeline’s school stopped me last week to ask, I didn’t think it would be too hard to find.  After all, with October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, pink is everywhere you look.  Until, of course, I started looking.

After trips to some of the “usual suspects,” the search was proving harder than I thought.  Then I started thinking outside of the box.  What else could we get in pink that could be used as shoelaces?  My original thought was to use some sort of ribbon (like the kind you would use when sewing and trimming), but then I stumbled upon some thin bias tape in the fabric section (similar to ribbon), and after finding a shoelace to use as measurement, I bought enough packages to make it work.

By why was it so important?  Because the request came from a child.  The Director’s son is on the town football team.

He wanted to honor the mom of one of his teammates.

She had a double mastectomy last week.

He wanted his team to wear the pink shoelaces for Sunday night’s game.

The fact that he would come up with this idea on his own, and push for follow-through spoke volumes about him and his parents.  And that made the pink shoelace hunt all the more important.

These days, particularly after going through a divorce and watching several friends follow the same path, people don’t surprise me as much anymore.  And in this case, I’m happy to be surprised.  Oh so very surprised.  I fight hard against cynicism and negativity, still wanting to believe the very best in people, and make sure that my kids feel the same way.  And in this small little action of his that is so very huge, faith is reaffirmed and the world is, once again, a little more balanced.

* * * * *

Although my family has not been touched by breast cancer, my friends’ lives have (Chris, xoxo).  This weekend, the kids and I will be participating in an American Cancer Society walk.  For people we know.  And people we don’t.  As I explained to Nick what the walk was about, a million questions came tumbling out.  Some I could answer.  Some I couldn’t.  So we walk for the unanswered questions.  And the hope for a cure.  And in the meantime, we are very thankful that there are several portable toilets along the walk route because otherwise this Mama would have all sorts of other challenges, walking with a 2-1/2 year old who just can’t “hold it” a few minutes longer.

Project 365
October 13, 2010, Photo #178

The kids have been VERY busy decorating our yard for Halloween. This is one of a few mini tombstones along the walkway. Shh, I see dead people.

P.S. Football pictures courtesy of K. McKowen (thank you!).